Snow-shovel



(No Model.)

G. v. H WHITBEOK. SNOW SHOVE L.

No. 416,387. Patented Dec. 3.11889} fizz en or.

v t X I 1 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE V. H. WHITBEOK, OF ROCHESTER, NEYV YORK.

SNOW-SHOVEL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 416,387, dated December3, 1889.

Application filed May 21, 1889. Serial No. 311,617. (No model.)

To aZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE V. H. WHlT- BECK, of Rochester, in the countyof Monroe and State of New York, have invented a certain new and usefulImprovement in Snow- Shovels; and I do hereby declare that the followingis a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference beinghadto the drawings accompanying this application.

My improvement relates to that class of snow-shovels and similararticles in which a sheet-metal blade is used and a wooden handle isattached to the blade bya socket at the rear.

The invention consists in the special construction and arrangement ofthe socket, as hereinafter described and claimed.

1n the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of the shovel, showing myimprovement. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same, a portion beingshown in section. Fig. 3 is an enlarged central longitudinal verticalsection. Fig. 4: is an enlarged side elevation of the socket and thelower end of the handle, said parts being separated. Fig. 5 is across-section of the lower front end of the socket in line 0c 00 of Fig.4:.

A indicates the blade, and B the handle, which are of usual form. Theblade is made of sheet-steel struck up of ordinary shape, and the handleis made of wood, straight or slightly bent near its junction with theblade.

The distinguishing feature of the handle is a,

slot a in its lower end, cut back a suflicient distance to receive therear flanged edge of the blade, and a beveled end I), which fits thebottom of the socket, as hereinafter described;

0 is the socket, which is the subject of my invention. It is made ofthin malleable castiron or other suitable metal, and consists of thebottom 0, of angular form longitudinally, to fit the bottom of the bladeand handle, and convex in cross-section, as shown in Fig. 5, to givestrength. It is also formed with a tip (I and side bars ff, which extenddown over the top of the shovel-blade, said tip being riveted to theblade and serving to receive the extreme lower point of the handle, andthe side bars extending up along the sides of the handle till they passabove the upturned flange g of the blade, when they turn downward andjoin with the bottom 0, as shown more especially in Fig. 4. If desired,the parts (1 f f may be made separate from the bottom 0, and be attachedthereto by bolting or otherwise. The socket is also formed with acentral longitudinal rib h, which extends from front to rear of thehorizontal portion of the bottom,

and with two or more studs '5 t, which form the rivets. The rivet 7;passes up through a hole in the blade and is headed down onto a washerk. The rivet 2' passes up through a hole in the blade and another in thetip d, and is .headed down to clamp the tip, the blade, and the bottompiece together. The rib h rests up against and forms a support to theblade from front to rear, and also receives the rear bottom part of thehandle, as shown in Fig. 3. The parts are attached together by insertingthe rear part of the blade between the bottom 0 and the tip (1, the rearflanged edge 9 of the blade extending back into the space m, between theupper and lower parts of the socket. The rivets i t" are then secured inplace, which attaches the blade fast to the socket. The handle is theninserted, its under side resting on the bottom 0, its lower pointedextremity entering the tip d, and its slot to embracing the upturnedflange g of the blade. A bolt 19 is then inserted through the rear endof the bottom 0 and the handle, thus securing the handle firmly to thesocket and the blade. One great advantage in this socket is that itrests partially below and partially above the blade, the two parts beingsecured by rivets, and the arms f f of the upper part extending up overand around the flanged rear end g of the blade, thus inclosing andprotecting the same and serving to take the strain in a longitudinaldirection when a prying action is produced on the handle.

This invention is applicable not only to snow-shovels, but also to othershovels and scoops for other purposes.

Having described my invention, I do not claim, simply and broadly, asplit handle, nor a tang of the shovel-blade entering the split. Neitherdo I claim re-enforcing plates on opposite sides at the junction of theblade and handle.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The shovel-socket herein described, contoo sistinp; oi the bottom 0,the tip (I, and side bars ff, connecting the tip with the body andleaving space between for the upturned edge of the blade, as hereinshown and described.

2. The shovel-socket consisting of the bottom 0, constructed with therib 71 and rivets L' 11, the tip (Z, and the side barsff, connecting thetip with the body, as shown anddeseribed, and for the purpose specified.

The combination, with the blade having an upturned rear edge, and withthe handle provided with a longitudinal slot to receive the upturnededge, of a socket made in one piece, consisting of two parts with anopen-

